Soft robotic fish that swims like a real fish

MIT researchers have recently created a synthetic fish made from soft robotics technology. Based on bio mimicry, this flexible and autonomous robot is able to move almost as fast as any true aquatic vertebrate. The prototype was made of silicone printed in 3D, so that it can move with fluidity to withstand shocks and collisions with other fellow species of the ocean bed. It is fully autonomous, synthetic fish is provided with a shank comprising two sections.

In addition to making quick movements, it has great freedom in its movements. It also uses carbon dioxide to "breathe" underwater. Daniela Rus, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the MIT Computer artificial intelligence laboratory told that they are very proud of their flexible robot for a variety of reasons. With flexible robots, there is little danger of collision for the robot or the environment. But the new robotic fish was designed to explore another advantage of flexible robots. The body deforms continuously gives these machines an infinite range of configurations, and it is not possible with machines articulated according to Daniella.

Continuous curvature of the fish body flexes when it allows changing direction so quickly. Hence this robot rigid body can make continuous bending of its body. The robotic fish was built by Andrew Marchese, a graduate student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering from MIT. They explained that the evolved carbon dioxide from a canister in the abdomen of the fish results in the swelling of the duct and the bending of the tail.

Each half of the tail of the fish has only two control parameters that is the diameter of the nozzle which releases gas in the channel and the time during which it remains open. In the experiments, Andrew found that the angle at which the fish changes direction is almost entirely determined by the duration of the inflation, while its speed is almost entirely determined by the nozzle diameter. This "decoupling" of the two parameters, he said, is something that biologists have observed real fish.

Fish can perform maneuvers 20 or 30 discharge, before exhausting the carbon dioxide cartridge. A new version of the fish, which must be able to swim continuously for about 30 minutes, will use carbon di oxide in the water instead of the carbon di oxide from the inflated channels, but otherwise it will use the same model design movements body than its predecessor.

Daniella plans to experiment the robot in the environment of real fish, to gather detailed information about their behavior in their natural environment information. According to Barry Trimmer, professor of biology at Tufts University, Their algorithms and control theory are almost designed with the idea that they have rigid systems and the principle of the soft robot is based on the certainty. Coping with uncertainty will still be able to control the machines, so we have much more powerful machines said the Professor. For now, the robotic fish is only a prototype but in the near future, it could be used in order to study these aquatic animals in their natural environment.

Microsoft DirectX 12 Will Be Released in 2015

The next version of DirectX and Direct3D will appears at the end of 2015, Microsoft said. The new version of the hardware interface will be closer and with better support, among other multi-core systems. As Expected first games appear end of 2015, based on the upcoming Direct3D 12 interface.

The Microsoft gave it known at GDC 2014 in San Francisco. In the coming months there will be a preview version of DirectX 12, an extensive Early Access offer for developers is planned. The new version of the graphics interface supports as expected not only for Windows PCs, but also the Xbox One and Windows Phone.

 Which versions are supported by Windows, is not yet clear and not yet disclosed. The serious question about Windows 7 is not answered. On the basis of presentation Microsoft has demonstrated, among others, 3DMark, that the new version of Direct3D brings much better support for multi core CPUs that were different from the currently issued of the interface utilized almost evenly.

Representatives of key partners such as AMD, Intel, Nvidia, Epic Games and Qualcomm have explicitly welcomed the new version of Direct3D. Microsoft will announce later this week  more information about DirectX, in  another major event instead.

Windows XP Users Will Receive $ 100 If They Opt For Windows 8

Windows XP users, who buy a new computer with Windows 8, will receive under a scheme for the amount of U.S. $ 100. Yes XP users in North America will receive $ 100 discount on a Windows 8 computer but it has too many limitations. Microsoft will discontinue support for Windows XP from 8 April 2014.

And there won’t be no more software update for the same. But all users are by far not ready for change. That's why Microsoft is offering an incentive. XP users, who buy a new computer with Windows 8, will receive an amount of $ 100.

 The offer is valid until 15 June 2014 and is aimed at buyers in the U.S. and Canada. Interested parties, can reach the Microsoft Store with an XP machine, get the discount at your order. Alternatively, Microsoft accepts old computers in its stores. The selection in their online shop is very limited.

In addition, the action is not valid for all Windows 8 products available there. On the tablet surface 2 there is no discount. Furthermore, Microsoft sells only devices in the middle and upper price range. The lowest computer goes for $ 599 on the counter.

The Wireless Electricity

Thanks to a revolutionary technique that has been developed, the magnetic field will replace your need for electricity to run your electrical appliances. The news comes from the company Witricity, an American company specializing in new technologies. The Project Director of Witricity, Katie Hall and his team has developed an object that generates a magnetic field capable of powering an electrical device without needing to connect it to an external power supply.

Which mean, that more electrical power is available within the house itself! Imagine a situation that your mobile phone or your laptop is charged without connecting an external power. At this moment, the scope of this device is not extensive ( that is about 1 meter in diameter hence any appliance within the one meter peripheral need not be connected to the power terminal), but researchers are working on a more powerful version and to enhance the distance.

Similarly, it is expected that to recharge the rechargeable batteries with in the distance. Nevertheless, this kind of device works through the waves. And the developers explain that the power signal is very low power one like a Wi -Fi network, it is not known whether it is totally safe just like the Wi -Fi and exposure to the waves and the related issues with health problem in longer term is understudy.

The High power magnetic field is generated by coils and the supply of this magnetic field does not need coils of wires as we needed for the electricity today. We have to wait for the arrival of this wireless power technology. These small magnetic wave generators really revolutionize. Hopefully, it should not be dangerous for your health!

How to spark music and movies via Airplay from your system

The standard Apple Airplay is a great way to spark music via Wi-Fi from your computer to speakers or movies from your PC to the TV. This goes without Apple hardware with the help of Airplay. With Apple's streaming technology Airplay; the music from the computer can be transferred wirelessly to the speakers, even photos and videos can spark to a TV. In Mac’s and iOS devices airplay is built in as a standard one, Windows and Android can be upgraded with the software. Many developers offer additional tools that pick up Apple's restrictions, at least partially, and implement new features - even for Google's mobile devices and Windows PCs. Here is an overview.

From Android Smartphone or tablet music can be played with the right app audio and video content in airplay format stream. The DoubleTwist player can send music and movies to the Apple TV with the paid expansion AirSync, or to devices that pass themselves off as such. Besides film and music to synchronize with this app, you can also play playlists from iTunes or Windows Media Player with the computer and Smartphone. Videos are in the Airplay -compatible format and it converts MP4 as highly compressed. While this saves space, the quality suffers can be seen visible. The videos are out of focus, artifacts are easily visible. The Honey- Player is reflected in the choice of airplay receiver less picky and also supports the Airport Express station, but only for streaming music in wireless. Unlike DoubleTwist it doesn’t need synchronization software on your PC or Mac to their side.

Thanks to the integrated browser streams Twonky Beam (free) all kinds of audio and video content from the Internet to Airplay -enabled devices. If you call up a web page on the player examines the background to the content and features Stream bares with a “Beam" button, which starts by tapping the play. Select from the right opens a list of available airplay receiver. The audio content from the Android device to Airplay can be enabled to the receiver with the free applications AirAudio (free) and AirStream (free). The apps access from all sounds systems, but put it ahead with root privileges. One has to be done with cracking the Android Smartphone.

Android Smartphones and tablets can also be used as an audio receiver. Discarded equipment would, for example, a second chance as an inexpensive alternative to Apple's AirPort Express station; they receive music wirelessly and output them via a connected speaker. All it need are apps like Airbubble (1.49 Euros) or Android Hifi (0.99 Euros). Although Airbubble is cheaper, this program can do more: It allows the user to set the buffer size for the audio stream and can be started automatically on demand when you turn on your Smartphone.

Videos and photos accept the App Airplay / DLNA Receiver Pro (3.71 Euros). The easy to install Android on an HDMI stick, making this a cost- Apple - TV - replacement. Only the dual-screen mode for games and video mirroring will not work well with it. For stationary computer iTunes is the key to airplay world. With the Apple software you can send videos and music to Airplay - enabled devices.

This works with all iTunes compatible file formats (i.e. about H.264 - encoded movies in the container formats Mov, mp4 and m4v). The can be streamed to the Apple TV 3 in Full- HD quality. The Apple TV 2 itself can only play 720p movies, takes 1080p material but, scale it down automatically. Besides DRM protected movies can also manage videos without copy in iTunes and transferred, for example, recorded from TV and converted films. Other providers DRM formats are left out. On audio side, the formats MP3, AAC, WAV and AIFF can send (up to 192 kHz and 24 bit).

Apple's in-house Multicast DNS implementation welcomes all involved Airplay devices known each other even under Windows. Therefore, the presented in the following Windows applications require this extension; it is reloaded with the iTunes installation. Some applications require only the welcome printing services that can be installed independently of iTunes. So you can also use airplay without having to install iTunes. Additional functions for Windows users by airplay: Airfoil for Windows (19 €) brings out the Airplay Audio streaming out more. It uses Airplay devices, but also supplied Linux PCs and Android Smartphones with audio content in the wireless home network, on the one Airfoil client runs. Unlike iTunes Airfoil transmits sounds from any source to the receivers.

So you can continue to use your favorite player and this make the airplay with this comfortable advantage. Want to iPhone, iPad or Mac users the screen contents show others about the family in the living room, they just reflect it via Apple TV to the TV. Thus, for example, the installed under the ceiling projector wirelessly use not only for film and photo playback, but also for presentations or simply for more convenient joint work. Windows users retrofitted video mirroring by software. AirParrot (8 Euros) embeds itself in the system tray and supports 1080p mirroring on the Apple TV 3 The playback stop, but the stream can also be reduced to 720p.

The open- source tool Shairport (free) equips the Windows computer on the Airplay receiver. It only needs the services. Shairport works to preserve resources and ran reliably in all our experiments. The software AirServer (12 Euros) collected under Windows and OS X to an Apple TV, so you iOS Games with dual-screen mode or OS X screen can stream content to your PC. Additionally, one can simultaneously forward the same received from AirServer stream audio to external speakers via Airplay iTunes. However, some preparatory work is needed for all of these functions:

This AirServer can listen to it in Windows Airplay -enabled suppliers, Apple's Services and on top of that DirectX 9c you have to install next to iTunes as well. In addition, the Windows firewall for incoming traffic on TCP ports 49152 and 7001 and UDP ports 6009 and 6010 must be opened. You can reach the fastest with the command wf.msc in the command prompt (shortcut: Win + r). Then create two (one for UDP and TCP) rules that you call AirServer. Then select it via double click and open the “Protocols and Ports “tab, the above mentioned ports. Confirm the settings, and then click "Apply”. The extension appears in the taskbar an icon, on the one making the program settings. In it, the user defines, for example a password. This prevents unsolicited shoots him everyone logged onto the same network airplay client content on the monitor or audio output.